Former Latics player Allan Smart is to face a crown court trial after pleading not guilty to an assault and affray charges while he was at Athletic. Smart now plays for Dundee United and appeared before a Crown Court judge in Manchester. He denied a total of four public order charges and is accused of assaulting a police officer and assault with intent after a skirmish outside Chadderton Police station last year. Other charges include allegations of threatening unlawful violence and causing damage to doors worth £3,000 at the Pennine Way Hotel.
Smart was told that he will face trial on the affray charge next January and was remanded on bail. One condition of the bail is that he does not enter Oldham unless it is to see a solicitor.